Summer Snow
by sweetcheesecake
Summary: Drabbles, one shots: Chap 8: She could never beat him, but he never played fair.
1. She Waits

Rangiku blew the stray bangs out of her eyes, bored to death. She glared fiercely at the strands of grass, venting her anger on the green strands. She started to feel her eyes crossing.

He was late. Again.

Rangiku drew her knees up to her chest and rested her chin on top of them, jutting out her lower lip. After a while, she turned her head so that her left cheek rested on her knees. She felt her eyes drooping shut slowly.

Catching herself dropping off to sleep, she quickly straightened up and shook her head. After a few more silent seconds, she punched the ground with her fists and flopped on to her back, raising her hand to block the sun. The rays warmed her and she remembered the first time she met the silver haired boy.

She sat back up and cupped her hands to her mouth.

"You stupid Ichimaru Gin, always making me wait, you jerk! I hate you!" she shouted.

"I'm _always_ waiting for you, jerk!"

Rangiku huffed angrily before she flopped back down on her back. She squinted her eyes when a dark figure blocked her view of the sky.

"What was that ya said, Rangiku?" the silver-haired man asked, his smile ever present.

She glared up at him. "Why are you late, Gin?" she ground out, annoyed that she had to wait so long for him to arrive.

"Eh, sorry 'bout that, Rangiku. I was busy," Gin said, bending down to sit beside her.

She looked up at the sky. "That's what you always say," she murmured.

"Well, I would hang out with ya if you'd stop sleeping every single minute of the day," Gin teased, his mocking smile glued on his face.

Abruptly, she stood up and kicked him in the shin.

"Oww, what the hell was that for?" his smile momentarily gone.

Rangiku didn't answer as she stomped off angrily, muttering furious ramblings into the wind. After a while, Rangiku realized he wasn't coming after her and she spun around, furious. He was already gone.

Her mouth dropped open in speechless fury. "THAT JERK!" she screamed before turning around to bonk her head into a hard body. She looked up annoyed to find Gin standing there, smiling. She brought her hand up to slap him.

Gin caught her wrist easily and pulled her to him gently. He grinned. "You should watch where you're going, Rangiku," he chided softly, looking down into angry blue eyes.

Her breath halted when she realized he had opened his chilly blue eyes. It was a rare sight. "Whatever," she muttered, looking away.

"Did ya wait long for me?" he asked, his other arm snaking around her waist to pull her closer to him.

He heard her grind her teeth before she quickly ducked her head into his chest, hiding her face.

"Whatever," she muttered.

Rangiku missed the genuine smile that graced his face.

"I like it when ya wait for me," he said softly, burrowing his face in her soft hair.

Rangiku couldn't help but tilt the corners of her lips. She closed her eyes and breathed in his familiar, soothing scent.

"Baka. I'll always wait for you."


	2. Missed You

"Yo, Rangiku, would ya cover up a bit better? Or wear a blanket when ya sleep. Don't wanna catch a cold, do ya?" Gin remarked, looking away from her large chest.

She blinked wearily at him, just waking up from her afternoon nap. After recognizing the person as her favorite silver-haired freak, she stuck out her tongue at him.

"Bite me."

He smiled.

"Ya don't really wanna say that, do ya?"

She glared at him, fuming and then rolled onto her stomach. "Whatever."

Gin could have sworn he heard something else like, "Overprotective moron," muttered under her breath as she got up from the couch where she was napping.

His smile grew wider.

"Yo, Rangiku, ya wanna head out and get somethin' to eat? That is, if you're done nappin," he asked good-naturedly, teasing her for sleeping so much.

He was overwhelmed by the excitement from her as she quickly whirled around and grinned brightly, tackling him onto the ground.

"You're the best, Gin!" she exclaimed while hugging him tightly, pressing her face into his hard chest. He smiled. He expected her to get up shortly after that but she stayed that way, embracing him tightly, not saying a word.

"Eh, Rangiku, what's wrong?" he asked, his smile disappearing.

She didn't answer for a while and he became worried, his arms coming around to grip her tightly.

"Rangiku?" he asked, his voice holding the slightest tone of concern.

Her voice was soft and reluctant. "I missed you."

Gin, momentarily shocked, came back to himself. He smiled a genuine smile and patted her head awkwardly. "Yeah, yeah, now get off me, you're kinda-"

He immediately shut his mouth as Rangiku's head came up to glare murderously at him, her blue eyes saying, "_Say it and DIE."_

Gin scratched his head and chuckled nervously. Sometimes sweet Rangiku was scary. She had frightening mood swings, he noted, but it was only around him. He sighed, playing with the soft strands of her orange hair.

"I missed ya, too."

He smiled down at her and after a moment, she returned it. Gin hadn't seen her smile for a long time; he hadn't visited for a long time.

"Let's go eat, yeah," he said.

One hand came up to pinch his cheek painfully and he grimaced. Her smile grew wider.

"Great! You're paying!" she exclaimed before pushing herself off him and skipping towards the door.

He sighed.

He should have known this was coming.

_My poor wallet._


	3. She's Sick

"Yo, Rangiku."

She slept on blissfully, unaware of the silver-haired boy bending over her sleeping form. For the moment, Gin was not smiling as he gazed down at his best friend. She had not taken good care of herself while he was gone and had gotten herself sick.

He knelt down beside her and brushed a stray strand of hair away from her face and stroked her cheek gently. Her eyelashes were long as they fanned her thin cheek while she slept. Her breathing was uneven and harsh as her lungs struggled for breath.

The night was cold like her hands. Gin was not used to her being cold. Rangiku was always the warm one, himself, the cold. Gin decided it did not suit her to be as cold as she was now. He frowned in disapproval when he discovered she was trembling under the thin blanket.

"Ya can't do anything by yourself, can ya?"

Something brushed against his chest and he looked down to see her small hands latch onto his shirt.

Her eyelids opened to reveal ice blue eyes as she gazed wearily at the silver-haired boy. Through her feverish mind, she recognized the hazy figure.

"Where did you go, Gin?"

She asked the question, not expecting an answer. Rangiku felt a weight press heavily against her chest as he stayed silent, only regarding her calmly with his blue eyes. He took her hands, and for once, his were warmer than hers, and gently unclasped them from his shirt. Her eyes struggled to stay open but her vision was swimming and her head was unbearably dizzy. She fought against the sensation to go to sleep again, wanting Gin to stay with her.

As she drifted into unconsciousness, she felt the blanket being lifted and pair of warm arms encase her freezing body. Gin positioned her head carefully, letting her cold cheek rest against his warm, bare chest. The warmth soothed her.

"I bought some dried persimmons on my way back," he said softly. She hummed quietly as she felt his voice vibrate through his chest.

"If you're better tomorrow morning, ya can eat some."

She nodded tiredly against his chest.

"How'd ya get so sick, Ran?"

She shook her head and brought her hands up again to clench at his shirt. "I was waiting outside for you."

"While it was snowing?!" he asked incredulously, looking down at her.

"Nnnh… I didn't notice it was snowing until I got s-sick," she said drowsily, nodding off to sleep.

"Baka," he said, angry with her for being so careless.

"S'not my fault," she whispered defensively.

"Right," he drawled, pulling her closer, feeling her shivers rack her tiny body.

"I wish you wouldn't leave so much," she said quietly before her breaths finally slowed and she dropped off to sleep.

Gin stayed quiet as he listened to her soft breathing.

"Yeah. I do, too."


	4. He's Sick

Rangiku knelt over the frail body of her best friend as he lay there, covered in all the blankets they owned, his body racked with coughs. Not being able to control herself, she suddenly burst into tears, throwing herself over Gin and wetting his blankets with her tears.

"UWAAAAH I DON'T WANT YOU TO DIE, GIIIIIN!" she cried, her arms constricting tightly around him.

Gin let out a dry rasp and laughed hoarsely, amused by his exuberant friend's antics.

"Who says I'm gonna die, Ran?"

"BAKA!" Rangiku screamed and smacked him in the head, immediately pulling away.

Gin groaned.

"Don't act like you're going to die if you're not!" she screamed before bursting into a round of fresh tears, rubbing furiously at her eyes.

Gin's smile dropped, starting to get uncomfortable with her tears.

"Yeah, yeah, alright. Calm down, I'm not gonna die," Gin pacified her.

Rangiku stared at him with watery blue eyes. She sniffed. "Really?" she asked in a small, tearful voice, her lower lip trembling.

His smile returned.

"As long as you're here, I'll be fine."

She teared up even more at his words, much to his unpleasant surprise, and threw herself on him again, wailing loudly.

"I'll stay with you forever!" she cried, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck.

Somehow, he managed to free one of his arms to wrap around her tiny body and pat her back comfortingly. Gin still smiled through his haze of pain.

"Yeah. That sounds 'bout right."


	5. Sleep

Gin watched quietly as his best friend awoke from her afternoon nap, stretching languidly and yawning with pink lips opened wide. Her blue eyes opened tiredly before they focused on the silver haired man by the doorway.

Immediately, her lips curved into a full blown, bright smile.

"Gin! What a surprise! It's been so long since you've visited me," Rangiku sang, teasing him lightly for not coming to see her for so long.

Gin smiled.

Rangiku walked over to him and embraced him tightly, ducking her head into his chest. "I thought you had forgotten about me," she said before pulling away, intending to look for her scarf.

Gin brought his hand up to hold the back of her head in the palm of his hand to prevent her from leaving.

"Hey, Ran, I have a question I've always been meaning to ask you."

"Uh?" she asked, curious, looking up at him.

He grinned. "Why do you sleep so much? You don't need to grow anymore," he said while glancing quickly at her large chest before looking away.

Rangiku remained silent.

Gin looked back at her questioningly. He watched as something flashed across her face. Her lips were pursed together in though and her brows furrowed together. After a moment, she shrugged.

"Time passes much faster when you're asleep. If you didn't make me wait so long, I wouldn't have to sleep all the time," she said, teasing him again before quickly slipping out of his arms.

Gin laughed. "Gomen, then."

She laughed along with him, her heart not really into it. "Where…that scarf, I was wearing it. Where'd it goooo?" she whined, starting to become annoyed that she couldn't find the pink scarf Gin had given her anywhere.

Gin coughed lightly. She looked up and saw the scarf in his hands. "Hey, where'd you find that?" she asked, reaching for it. Abruptly, Gin wrapped the scarf around her neck once and pulled her to him gently. Rangiku fell against his thin body lightly, looking up questioningly at him.

"Is something bothering you, Ran?" Gin asked lightly with a smile on his face.

Rangiku looked away. "No…there's nothing."

Gin's smile faded as he saw the distant expression on Rangiku's face but decided not to press it. He immediately put his smile back on when she looked up at him when he didn't answer.

"Hey, let's get somethin' to eat," he suggested.

She nodded, her face not as exuberant as it usually was and he let her go, leaving the room first to leave her to her thoughts.

Rangiku pondered over the innocent question Gin had asked her while she played idly with her scarf. Maybe it had become a habit picked up from her taichou?

She shook her head.

After a while, Rangiku finally came to realize the reason why she slept so much.

Gin had only taken a few steps out into the open before he felt Rangiku envelop him in a huge hug from behind. He stayed still and waited to hear what she had to say.

"You remember how we first met, Gin?"

He smiled fondly, remembering. "Un. Yeah. You were sleeping then, too."

She smiled.

"Yeah."

"I sleep because I hope that you'll be there the next time I wake."

Gin was stunned for a moment and then started to feel something tug at his heartstrings. "Gomen, Rangiku," he said this time, sincerely, knowing that his best friend needed him as much as he needed her.

_Sorry that I'm never around._

"It's okay. After all, you came today, didn't you?"

Gin leaned his head back against hers and looked up at the sky. Unknowingly, he counted the number of clouds in the sky.

_Just like the day we first met._

"Yeah."


	6. Breakeven

"What am I supposed to do when the best part of me was always you."

Rangiku sang softly, her angelic voice trailing gently behind her as she walked slowly, enjoying the beautiful evening, watching the sunset.

"What am I supposed to say when I'm all choked up and you're okay."

She stopped by the trickling river and sat back down on her knees, peering into the water, just barely seeing her faint reflection. She waved at it.

"I'm falling to pieces, yeah."

Rangiku reached her pale hand out and dipped two slim fingers into the water. The reflection rippled and dissolved, leaving only blurred pieces.

"I'm falling to pieces."

She hummed some parts that she had forgotten the lyrics to. But she never forgot these parts.

"'Cause when a heart breaks, no, it don't break even."

Because the words were so true.

When a heart breaks…

She briefly caught an image of another figure standing behind her in the river. Startled, she let out a surprised gasp and whirled around, taking on a defensive position. After realizing that the figure was the man who had stolen her heart, she sighed and relaxed.

Rangiku offered him a grin.

"Hey, Gin."

But for once, Gin was not smiling. "What's up, Ran?" he asked softly. He came closer until he was towering over her.

"Ya have a pretty voice," he commented.

She looked up at him, surprised. "Y-yeah," she stuttered, hoping desperately he would not open his eyes and find her blushing at his small praise.

"Why are ya singing such a melancholy song?" he asked, his voice more solemn this time.

"E-eh?"

She couldn't concentrate on what he was saying, intoxicated by his presence. Slowly, Gin brought his hand up to cup her cheek.

"Ran?"

She looked up at him. "Yeah?"

"Why are ya falling to pieces?" he asked softly.

She deliberated slowly before answering. Rangiku flashed him another smile. "I'm not anymore."

He raised one eyebrow.

Rangiku closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around his waist, laying her head on his chest. He let her and his hand came up to stroke at her hair gently.

"'Cos I'm here?" he asked.

Rangiku nodded. She brought one hand back and laid it on his chest, playing with his shirt. Idly, she traced patterns over his heart.

She wasn't sad, really. She wasn't heartbroken either. Somehow, she just knew that, Gin would always come back to pick up the pieces.

So she didn't mind falling once in a while.

_It gives me a chance for you to catch me._

You have my heart.


	7. Sticky Situation

Ichimaru Gin was taking a walk, enjoying the quiet peace when the stillness was interrupted by a person tackling him from behind. A figure jumped onto his back and wrapped a cloth around his eyes. Gin thought that it was quite pointless since his eyes were closed anyway. He was about to reach for his sword when the attacker pulled him backwards and pinned him to the ground.

"Calm down, it's just me."

It was a woman's voice. Her tone was irritated.

Gin instantly relaxed. "What are ya-ahhh!"

The attacker slapped him hard in the head and he cried out in protest. The person took the chance to forcefully shove something down his throat. Reflexively, he started to swallow but the attacker slapped him again.

"CHEW IT, DON'T SWALLOW IT, YOU BAKA!"

Cautiously, he bit down on the foreign object. A burst of flavor immediately filled his mouth. It was…fruity and cooling at the same time. As he chewed thoughtfully on it, the pressure on his chest lessened and the attacker got up. Gin stayed on the ground, still chewing on the fruity treat. The flavor was different; he never tasted anything like it.

"Get up."

Obediently, he got up. The cloth was untied roughly and Rangiku wound it around her neck. Then she crossed her arms and regarded him irritably as he continued chewing.

"How does it taste?" she asked with a tone of annoyance.

He wanted to speak to her but didn't want to talk with his mouth full.

Gin started to feel a little anxious when the object in his mouth would not disappear as food usually does. Usually, his teeth would have made short work of the piece and it'd be in his stomach by now. Shrugging, he figured he'd swallow it anyway. It was pretty small.

He did.

Rangiku narrowed her eyes at him. He had stopped chewing.

"Well?" she asked, her annoyance climbing.

He cocked his head. "That was pretty good, yeah. Though, it was hard to swallow."

Her eyes bulged.

"YOU IDIOT!"

Gin did not understand what he did to deserve another harsh slap to the head. He rubbed at his sore spot, a little put out as he watched confusedly as Rangiku fumed.

"YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO EAT IT!"

He frowned. "Isn't food s'pposed to be eat'n?"

He got another slap in the head. "THAT WASN'T FOOD!"

Poor Gin couldn't quite grasp what was going on. He decided to keep his mouth shut so he wouldn't set his best friend off anymore. He watched as she struggled to calm down.

A vein ticked in her head as she let out a breath through her clenched teeth.

"That…was gum. You're supposed to _chew_ it and enjoy the taste." She slapped a hand to her forehead and then reached into her robe to take out another piece. She flipped one to him and he caught it.

"Chew," she ordered.

He stared with wonder at the wrapped object. He took off the wrapper and looked at the little block. "It's like candy. There's a lot of it in the real world."

Immediately, he understood. Oops. He had forgotten to see her off to the real world.

"Sorry, Rangiku."

She looked away, peeved and then glared at him again. Sighing, she finally forgave him for forgetting to say goodbye to her when she left for the real world.

"Whatever, just eat it. I want to teach you something," she said, her scowl slowly forming into a mischievous grin.

He smiled also and put it in his mouth. Immediately, his taste buds were assaulted by the foreign taste. It was good. He chewed happily on it and stared at Rangiku.

"Now what do I do?"

She smiled. "You just keep chewing until it runs out of flavor. Then you spit it out."

She popped a piece of gum into her own mouth and started to chew. She sighed. "Isn't it good?" she said blissfully.

"Un, yeah."

Gin watched in amazement as a she blew a thin, orange bubble. The smile left his face.

"How'd you do that, yeah?"

With a loud pop that unsettled him somewhat, she sucked back in her gum and grinned. "I can teach you, _but…_"

She held up one finger. "On one condition."

He debated for a while and then shrugged. "Sure."

Her smiled scared him a little.

"Lemme play with your hair."

He thought about that for a while. Rangiku's experiments were always disastrous, whether it was baking, style, or training. He sighed. He might as well make her happy since he had ticked her off for not seeing her.

"Ya can't take pictures," he said, just imagining the images of what his hair would look like when she was finished with him. Probably with pink bows and ribbons. "And ya can't cut it."

She nodded. "I won't need to," she said, still grinning maddeningly.

He sighed and then surrendered his silver hair to her, sitting down on the ground, chewing on his gum. She came over to him and sifted her fingers through his soft hair. Gin decided he liked the feeling of Rangiku running her fingers through his hair. They massaged his scalp lightly and soothed him with their soft touches.

He decided it wasn't so bad letting Rangiku play with his hair.

Rangiku reveled in the softness of the hair and was somewhat hesitant now to go through with her revenge. It was just so soft and so pretty.

She sighed.

But Gin needed to be taught a lesson and she was just itching to see how he would weasel himself out of this one.

After a while of Rangiku playing idly with his hair, he felt her press her lips to his head. His smile widened. Finally, she pulled away and he straightened.

"Now will ya show me how to do that?"

She smiled. "Sure. So what you do is-EWW!"

Gin stilled. "What?"

She put her hand to her mouth. "I think…a birdie pooped on you."

Really? He didn't feel anything. He brought his hand up to check and sure enough; something sticky was smeared onto his hair. He groaned inwardly.

Rangiku shrugged. "Good luck washing that off, Gin. It looks pretty bad."

Gin tried to move his hand away but it was stuck. When he moved it, he pulled the hairs on his head and he let out a surprised yelp. He brought his other hand up to try to feel what was wrong and realization slowly dawned. The sticky poo…

He looked at Rangiku as she smiled cheekily and popped another piece of gum into her mouth.

"Whoops, sorry, the other one ran out of flavor so I spit it out."

She smiled brightly.

"Try not to cut your hair though, it's so pretty."

She waved to him before she walked away, leaving him to wonder how he was going to get his hands unstuck and how he was going to make it back to third division without anyone catching him and how in the world he became best friends with the devil.

He whimpered.

She smiled.

Revenge is sweet.


	8. Staring Contest

Her eyes were wide as she stared at him.

His remained slits.

2 minutes and 29 seconds later.

She narrowed her eyes, starting to become doubtful.

His remained slits.

3 minutes and 56 seconds later.

She squinted, her eyes starting to water.

His remained slits.

His cocky grin widened and she had to sit on her twitching fingers to refrain from smacking him.

5 minutes and 59 seconds later.

She blinked.

He smiled.

"I win," he said and he reached happily for the dried persimmons that were sitting on the middle of the desk.

She slapped his hand sharply and he withdrew them, frowning at her, annoyed that she was delaying his sweet treat for his taste buds.

"You cheated," she said simply, pointing an accusing finger at him.

His grin came back on. "Come now, don' be a sore loser, Ran," he said, reaching for the persimmons again. Quickly, she snatched them away before he could reach it and popped them in her mouth. She grinned at him, albeit lopsidedly due to the treats in her mouth, and held up a peace sign and winked at him.

He looked on with an expression of utter shock and betrayal.

She snickered at him through her mouthful. She chewed happily and he watched on in envy.

Before she knew it, he had disappeared from her sight and she sat up straight abruptly, whipping her head around, searching for him. Shrugging, she swallowed and reclined back, swirling around in her chair to come face to face with Gin.

His blue eyes were open.

She flinched back but his hands had already come quickly to hold her face. She stared at him.

He stared back.

She smirked.

He didn't smile.

He leaned in closer, his eyes never leaving hers and her blue eyes widened in panic.

Still maintaining eye contact, he touched his cold lips to hers.

Her eyes slipped shut as she reveled in the moment, enjoying the feeling of his lips on hers. Her arms came around to pull him closer but in a second, he was gone, standing a few feet away from her, his eyes closed, his grin back on.

She almost protested but he opened his stupid mouth.

"I win."

She frowned and crossed her arms irritably, looking away.

"You cheated," she grumbled.

He smiled.


End file.
